Though Icewine's roots can be traced to centuries-old German winemakers, there is nothing more quintessentially Canadian than this luscious luxury borne of patience and subzero bravura. Grapes are left on the vine well into the winter months to concentrate and intensify the flavors, as water content freezes, thaws and dehydrates in each precious Icewine grape. Located in Niagara-on-the-Lake at the historic Brae Burn Estate, Inniskillin has been producing world-renowned Icewines from grapes grown in the Niagara Peninsula since 1984.

Vidal is a hybrid (Ugni Blanc and Seibel) that has a thick skin suitable for harvesting late in the season. It is the grape grown most for Icewine in Ontario. Its natural acidity gives great structure to the lusciousness of its tropical aromas and flavors of mango and lychee.

With the temperature dropping to -10°C the Vidal grapes were picked and pressed immediately upon arrival at the winery. The viscous juice was allowed to cold settle for 3 days after which time it was racked clean and inoculated with a specific strain of yeast and was fermented in new French oak at an average temperature of 15°C for 16 days. The wine was allowed to age an additional 3 months in oak before racking.

This shows intense layers leading into a generous amount of ripe fruit, aromatics of peach, mango, and orange peel. Flavors of apricot and citrus with hints of clove and a touch of spice make this a classic Niagara Peninsula Icewine.

The third week of December 2022 brought ideally frigid temperatures of -10˚C, signalling the beginning of Inniskillin’s world renowned Icewine harvest, completed by February 5th in four thorough and diligent pickings. Cabernet Franc and Riesling were off the vines in December, which is historically the ideal timing to pick Icewine as it limits the risk of dehydration, high winds, and wildlife interaction with our prized crop. The consistently icy weather afforded the optimal harvesting temperature, allowing us to execute Inniskillin’s award-winning quality standards with the perfect sugar levels and well-balanced acidities. At pressing, only a few drops of concentrated juice could be extracted from each bunch, about 10% of a normal fall harvest yield, a scarcity which makes Icewine so unique and highly sought after.

Always good with the traditional crème brule and crème caramel; try tropical fruit compote, roasted peaches or pineapple with panacotta; cheeses from fresh chèvre to parmesan with a dribbling of honey; brown butter lobster salad with baby arugala and hazelnuts.